ViveKam : Part I

[Guest guest]

At 03:57 AM 1/13/03 -0800, you wrote:

>

>dear vaishnavates

>

> i had chance of reading file ART OF LIVING which is in our groups

website about life of swami vedanta desikan.he prescribes 9 steps for moksha

....though author has given examples about each step especially first 5 steps

....i want to still clarrify about VIVEKAM?....like arjuna asked lord krishna

in geetha ...how an yogi will walk ,sleep ,behave am also having doubts

about it ..i want all intellectual persons of this group to guide me ..pls

help me in this regard

>

>regards

>

>venkiiyyengar ,chennai

 

> Srimathe Rangaramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha

> Srimathe Srinivasa Ramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha

> Srimathe Vedantha Ramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha

> -

>VENKATAKRISHAN.G

>M.E VLSI design II sem

>ANNA UNIVERSITY ,COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING GUINDY

 

SrI:

 

Dear SrI Venkatakrishnan:

 

I will try to respond to your first question on "VivEkam"

in this response. The topic of VivEkam is discussed

by Swamy Desikan at the very beginning . I will summarize

the nine steps associated with the travel to Moksham

and describe thereafter the specifics on Vivekam .

 

Yes, Swamy Desikan has dealt at length the need for

VivEkam at the very beginning of His rajasya Grantham ,

SrI Parama Padha SOpAnam . I t is the first of the nine steps

of that ladder to Moksha Journey .The nine steps of

this ladder(SOpAnam) are :

 

1. VivEka SOpAnam ( The anugraham of VivEkam acquired from

the UpadEsam of a sadAchAryan on Tatthva VivEkam,

nithyAnithya Vasthu VivEkam et al).More about VivEkam

at the next section of this posting .

 

2. NirvEdha SOpAnam (development of disgust over the aeons

spent at toiling in SamsArais sufferings)

 

3. Virakthi SOpAnam( Detatchment from all endeavours that

are assoicated with evanescent "pleasures " through

the development of NirvEdham thru the acquisition of

VivEkam ).

 

4. Bheethi SOpAnam ( As the One , who has acquired

VivEkam , experienced NirvEdham and gianed Virakthi ,

he is overcome by fear about the fruits of the karmAs and

hastens to seek the means for Moksham ).

 

5. PrasAdhana SOpAnam ( The One who has gianed VivEkam ,

developed disgust over samsAric entanglements , enriched

himself with detatchment /VairAgyam and fear of furhter

samsAric sufferings , he seeks the protection of

the Lord's boon granting Thiruvadis).This is about

the performance of UpAyams like Prapatthi at the feet of

the Dhivya Dampathis.

 

6. UthkramaNa SOpAnam ( The SOpAnam dealing with the ascent of

the Prapanna's Jeevan form the physical cage of his body).

EmperumAn's special help at this important stage (starting

stage of the Journey to Parama Padham) is covered.

 

7. ArchirAdhi SOpAanam( The journey to SrI vaikuntam

upto the stage of reaching the river VirajA and the honors

recieved from the Lord's servants on this journey ).

 

8. Dhivya dEsa prApthi SOpAnam ( The stage of the Journey

after crossing the VirajA river and the stage when the Liberated

soul has the blessing of darsana soubhAgyam of EmperumAn

seated on AdhisEshan is covered here).

 

9. PrApthi SOpAnam ( Approaching the EmperumAn and

recieving the blessings of the placement of the Lord's

sacred feet on the Muktha Jeevan's head and ataining

the boon of Kaimkarya SaamArAjyam and enjoying

ParipoorNa BrahmAnandham through nithya Kaimkaryam

to SrI VaikuntanAthan is covered here ).

 

We will focus on Vivekam , the first step

in the next posting .

 

(To Be continued)

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan